Olaf Demuth, the designated president of the German construction industry association, criticized the federal government for showing insufficient progress in utilizing the special fund allocated for infrastructure projects. Speaking on Thursday, Demuth remarked that the sector is not yet detecting the positive effects of the special fund.
He noted that the implementation acceleration is clearly visible in the area of the armed forces, stating that the rapid changes there prove the model works. According to Demuth, this sector successfully streamlined procurement processes, enabling quick advances in port, airport, and barracks construction. However, in other infrastructure sectors-specifically bridges, roads, rail lines, and water ports-the funds have not yet made a noticeable impact.
Demuth identified the root causes of the delay as a lack of reforms concerning permits and bureaucracy reduction. He criticized that approval processes have not been streamlined and that the necessary administrative reforms have stalled. Furthermore, he argued that the promised acceleration laws have yet to be fully implemented.
Consequently, the construction industry president demanded that politicians inject more speed into the project. While laws such as the Infrastructure Future Act and the procurement acceleration law are welcomed concepts, Demuth stressed that they must translate into tangible progress on building sites rather than remaining endless topics of parliamentary debate. He concluded by asserting, “We are much too slow”.
